Specifications

The Digital Fine Print Course

Editing a Fine Print

9/50

Four Compositions: Image Editing Workflow

All images are composed of other images, both imagined and real. Identifying an

image according its individual compositions and then exploring and refining their contri-

bution, honestly reveals the structure of the image. By rendering the individual composi-

tions in the following order, the image can be most efficiently resolved.

Drawing Composition:

• Apply Dust & Scratches filter to a duplicate layer blended in Darken or Lighten Mode.

• Spot any remaining non-image artifacts with a Cloning Tool.

• Cropping experiments uncover the ‘psychological space’ within the image.

• Use Guides to outline the image window, thereby allowing precise cropping of the image.

• Carefully examine the image on screen and in a test print at the final scale.

• These strategies reveal the relationships between elements within the image

Tonal Composition:

• Convert the RGB image to Lab (16bit) and display only the L* (Lightness) channel.

• Use L* Levels to set highlight and shadow points, and adjust middle grey (gamma).

• Use L* Curves to adjust local contrast.

• Apply the Dodge & Burn tool to modify local tonal values, OR

• Paint with black and white on a 50% grey layer in Soft Light mode as a ‘printing pack’.

• These strategies reveal the drama of the image.

Colour Composition:

• Use R, G & B Levels to adjust global colour balance by setting highlight/shadow points.

• Use R, G & B Curves to locally adjust colour contrast (saturation) and brightness.

• Use the Sponge tool to locally saturate (& lighten) or desaturate (& darken) the image.

• Use HSL controls and Selective Color to precisely adjust individual colour values.

• Use Color Balance to ‘tweak’ the overall colour balance to enhance its ambience.

• These strategies reveal the mood or personality of the image.

Spatial Composition:

• Duplicate the image layer and apply the Unsharp Mask filter or Gaussian Blur filter.

• Blend sharpened layers on Lighten or Darken to modify ratio of light to dark halos.

• Use a Layer Mask to locally apply the sharpening or blurring at different opacities.

• Use Blending Options/Layer Styles to isolate the effect to specific tonal regions.

• Duplicate the image layer and apply a low pixel radius High Pass filter in Overlay mode.

• These strategies reveal and orchestrate our relationship to the image.